Cigarette sidestream smoke collection apparatus

Abstract

Sidestream smoke collection apparatus comprises a smoking chamber 14 including a plenum chamber 24, air inlets 28, an internal wall 26 having slits 30 for the passage of air, a cigarette holder 22 above the internal wall 26, an outlet pipe 16 above the cigarette holder, an upper deflector 38 between the cigarette holder and the outlet and a lower deflector 32 between the cigarette holder and the internal wall. This dispatch of air inlet and outlet and deflectors allows more efficient collection of sidestream smoke.

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus (10) of collecting sidestream smoke from a smoking article (34) such as a cigarette, comprising: a housing (12, 14) having a holder (22) extending into the housing from outside for holding a smoking article allowing the smoking article to be smoked from outside the housing and an air inlet (24, 28) to the lower portion of the housing below the holder;   a lower air deflector (32) within the housing below the holder (22) to deflect air from the inlet (24, 28) around a smoking article in the housing;   an outlet (16) from the upper portion of the housing above the holder (22) for the withdrawal of air and smoke therefrom, and an upper air deflector (38) within the housing above the holder (22) being so disposed as to deflect air and smoke into the exhaust.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 in which the housing comprises a smoking chamber (14) including the holder (22) and the air inlet (24) surmounted by and removably sealed to a hood (12) including the outlet (16). 
     
     
       3. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2 in which the air inlet comprises a plenum chamber (24) in the lower portion of the housing (12, 14) below the holder (22). 
     
     
       4. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 in which the lower air deflector (32) comprises two plates either side of and below where the smoking article (34) is held, the plates being joined together to prevent air from impinging directly from below a smoking article held in the apparatus. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 in which the upper air deflector (38) forms an upwardly tapering passage extending longitudinally above a smoking article (34) held in the holder (22) for air and smoke passing through the upper portion (12) of the housing to the exhaust (16). 
     
     
       6. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 including a lighter (36) to light a smoking article (34) held in the hosing (12, 14). 
     
     
       7. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 including extinguishing means to extinguish a smoking article (34) in the housing (12, 14). 
     
     
       8. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 in which the holder (22) for a smoking article (34) is detachable from the housing (12, 14). 
     
     
       9. Apparatus for collecting sidestream smoke from a plurality of smoking articles comprising a plurality of apparatus according to claim 8, the housings (12, 14) of which are mounted on a gantry which is movable relative to a smoking machine to move the holders (22) into and out of the housings for loading and removal of smoking articles (34).